Shoe-closure



T. FQTCHUK.

SHOE CLOSURE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7. 1921.

Patented 20, 1921.

8 M Theodore f hu k $5 rh al tozumt T. FOTCHUK.

SHOE CLOSURE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY7,192'1.

Patented Sept. 20, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z- awvcntoz Theo Qorc Fo't chuk To all whom it concern: l

UNITED STATES PA NT OFFICE.

v THEODOB FOTCHUK, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

" I. SHOE-CLOSURE.

Be it known that I, Tr rnooon Fo'rorrnm a' citizen of the Ukrainia, residingat Toronto, Province of Ontario, and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Closures, of which the following is a specification. y

The present invention relates to improvements in shoe closures, particularly closures for lace shoes, and it is the principal object of the invention to provide auxiliary means for facilitating the lacing operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary lacing means which permits the securing of the shoe laces when properly tightened to close the shoe.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a suitable perforated plate for properly holding the ends of the laces during the lacing operation, and of means for quickly and conveniently unlacing a shoe.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become more fully apparent-as the description thereof proceeds and will then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a material part of my invention- I Figure 1 shows in side view part of a shoe equipped with the auxiliary lacing means constructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. I seen from the opposite side of the shoe.

Fig. 3 shows in side elevation the auxiliary lacer separated from the shoe.

Fig. 4 is a lateral edge view of the same.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a lock used in connection with the lacer.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section through the lock, Fig. 5.

Fig. ,7 is a transverse'section through the lock, and

Fig. 8 shows in detail view a lace holding or anchoring plate. H

In the drawings, the shoe 10 of any ordinary well known shape and material is closed by means of the customary lace 11 passed through the usual eyelets 11'. The end of the lace is held underneath the lowermost eyelets 11 within the shoe by a plate 12 provided with openings 13 through which the lace is threaded in the manner indicated in Fig. 8.

The lace 11 is then threaded in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1 through the eyelets 11 Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 20, 1921. .Application nierna 7, 1921. semi m. 467,617.

of the shoe and the eyelets in an auxiliary lacing member 14 provided with eight holes 15; arranged as indicated in Fig. 3.

To theend of member 14 is secured a rack plate provided with teeth '16, adapted to be introduced into a lock casing 17 through an opening in the upper end wall of the same.

This casing is secured'to the shoe by means of a strap 18 in the manner illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, and its free end is sewed to the uppers of the shoe at the seam 19 thereof.

The casing 17 is provided on its to with a sliding plate 20 and its cover has a ongitu- ,dinal slot 21 in which travels a rivet 22 on the sliding plate 20.

To the underside of the cover plate of the casing a leaf spring 24 is secured at one of its ends by means of rivets 25, and the other end of this spring is formed into a hook 26.

The spring is normally kept out of engagement with the teeth 16 by resting upon a flange 23 at the lower endof the rivet 22, and it will be clear that by the suitable displacement of the rivet in the slot 21 the spring will engage the teeth 16 and lock the auxiliary member 14 in its lace tightening position after it has been guided around the rear part of the shoe asindicated in Fig. 1.

The upper end of thelace is guided through a plate 27 in a similar manner as described above with respect to plate 13 and is then tucked under thetongue of the shoe.

The device operates as follows:

Assumed the shoe is unlaced, it will then only be necessary to draw the end of the auxiliary member 14 upward to tighten the lace and guide the member 14 thereafter around the rear part of the shoe and to introduce its end part with the teeth 16 into the lock casing 17.

When now the rivet 22 is displaced in the longitudinal slot 21 in such a manner that its flange 23 will release spring 24, the hooked end 26 of this spring w1ll engage the teeth 16 and thus lockthe member 14 in its lace tightening position. To open the shoe the operation need simply to be reversed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An auxiliary shoe lacing device of the class described comprising a movable perforated member, through the perforations of which the laces are threaded, a toothed plate at one end of said member, a casing secured to the shoe and means within said casing for locking said member in its lace tightening to be engaged and disengaged position by engagement with said toothed plate and means for firmly holding the lace ends.

2. An auxiliary shoe lacing device of the class described comprising a movable perforated member through the perforations of which the shoe lacing is passed, a perforated casing sewed to the opposite side of the shoe, a toothed plate at one end of said member adaptedto be introduced into said casing, a movable means within said casin adapted rom said toothed plate for securing and releasing said member, and perforated plates for securing the ends of the laces.

3. An auxiliary shoe lacing device of the class described comprising a movable perforated member through which the shoe laces are passed on one side of a shoe, a casing secured'to the shoe at the opposite side there of, a slotted cover for said casing, a flanged rivet traveling in the slot of said cover, a toothed plate at the end of said member adapted to be introduced into said casing, a leaf spring normally resting upon the flange of said rivet above said toothed plate,'and adapted to engage with its hooked end the teeth of said plate upon the displacement of 7 said rivet in the slot of the cover, means for securing said casing to the shoe at the seam of the shoe uppers and means for securing the ends of the laces. a

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature. 1 r 7 THEODOR FOTCHUK. 

